FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – A rally in downtown Fort Wayne pitted the religious faithful against part of President Obama's health care overhaul.
Hundreds gathered at the Faith and Freedom rally at the Allen County Courthouse Saturday morning to stand up for what they call religious freedom. Demonstrators say their Constitutional Rights are under attack by recent government regulations.
The rally is also a political statement against the Affordable Care Act. The main issue is the government mandated contraceptive and abortion services provided to employees by health insurance companies.
"These freedoms are being taken away via legislative efforts, freedoms that were given to us by the Lord and they're going to be gone for future generations if we don't stand up today," said Judy Ross, Fort Wayne.
U.S. Representative, Marlin Stutzman (R—3rd District) attended the rally. He says the government is too involved in citizens’ personal lives.
"When you start telling people how to worship, how they have to operate or choose to make decisions according to religious premise, I think that's a very dangerous territory for this administration,” he said.
The Obama Administration now says churches and religious institutions are exempt from directly supplying contraception, but faith-based institutions must still provide female employees free contraception through insurance.
"With the Federal Government assuming more power, every American is put into a box that just may not be right for them,” said Stutzman,
However, an estimated 98 percent of American women use birth control methods, and an estimated 90 percent of Catholic women also use contraception.
"I know personally that it is not that expensive,” said Ross. “You can go to a place like Walmart and you can get contraception that would only be like $4 a month. That is not an exorbitant amount of money.”
“If we can pay for cell phones, if we can pay for cable TV, if we can pay for cigarettes ourselves, then certainly we should be able to afford $4 to $10 a month for birth control,” she said.
"The important thing is maintaining the sanctity of life, including the unborn baby,” said Ross’ husband, Ed. “Any legislation that attacks that situation is no legislation at all."
Although the affordable care act will provide health insurance for over 32 million Americans, contraception and abortion services is one of the many issues people have with the law. So what is right and what's wrong? That's something for the American people to decide on Election Day.
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